The use of sphincter and bladder control devices is wide spread in the field of the present invention. See, for example, commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,512,032; 5,701,916; 5,701,916; and 5,722,932, herein incorporated by reference. Many existing intraurethral devices seek to duplicate the function of normal urinary sphincter control. This usually involves opening a valve in response to a user initiated stimulus, for example, an initial moment of high bladder pressure generated by the user of the device. In some devices, once begun, flow can be maintained without requiring continuing high bladder pressure.
There exists a class of potential users of these devices that cannot generate even a moment of sufficiently high bladder pressure to initiate flow through the aforementioned devices. Some users cannot generate pressure due to atonic bladder disorder. These individuals could maintain urination through some of the intraurethral devices, if the device could be initially opened to flow without requiring high bladder pressure. What has not been provided are devices and methods for initiating urine flow in devices in cases where the users can maintain flow through the devices, but cannot initiate urine flow.